Social Media plays a huge role in our perception of success. We are bombarded with content involving frequent international vacations, expensive jewelry, multi-million dollar homes and driving high priced cars while rubbing elbows with the rich and famous.
These are all the elements of what the mainstream media want us to believe that success is. In fact, they want us to believe that this is the sole form of success and in order to attain these things, we should keep our head down and work as hard as possible until we get it.
What happens if we never attain all the things? Does this mean that our life was not a success? Does it mean that we have failed and there was no purpose in our being born? What is the true meaning of success and how are we to be successful?
What is success?
If you have been reading along with me each week, then you will know that I LOVE to define a word via Merriam-Webster dictionary. This helps us to understand the meaning of the word and how it is truly applied to our lives.
The definition of success is to succeed and to succeed is to have elements progressively follow after another and turn out well. This simple definition has been misconstrued and redistributed into a way of life that only gains material things. Some may say that material things, such as money, do in fact equate to a successful and fulfilled life thus leading to happiness, but science proves this to be wrong.
What are the stats?
According to Prnnewswire.com, only 27% of Americans rank financial wealth as the highest measure of success with 59% saying happiness is the most important https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/over-half-of-americans-say-there-is-a-secret-to-success-and-reaching-it-takes-270-000-per-year-302313131.html#:~:text=Only%2027%25%20rank%20wealth%20as,%25)%20to%20pursue%20personal%20passions.
70% of Americans cited wealth as the ability to afford necessities and put money in savings. This report was published by Fastcompany.com https://www.fastcompany.com/91234667/how-much-annual-income-financial-success.
Clay Cockreel, a psychotherapist and founder of Walk and Talk Therapy, stated that even billionaires struggle with feelings of a life without purpose and depression, according to The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/nov/22/therapist-super-rich-succession-billionaires.
What this tells us is that success cannot be measured solely on the premise of financial assets. Don’t get me wrong, financial assets are important, but they don’t equate to the full meaning of a successful life. Without these statistics, we have heard the stories from the rich and famous themselves on how the money, cars, and fame did not make their lives feel successful. In fact, some of these individuals have stated how this made them wholly less fulfilled in life and more depressed than ever. So what is the true meaning of success?
How to be successful?
Success cannot be measured by financial assets alone. It is a culmination of diverse variables that provide the element of a progressive evolution. The National Institute of Whole Health reported that 83% of respondents agreed that having a good relationship or marriage was critical in success. In addition, being open to change was a key element in personal success https://www.wholehealtheducation.com/how-americans-define-success-2/.
This is to say that the ability to support yourself without struggling, be in healthy relationships with others, and be open to achieving and setting new goals is the epitome of success. Everyone isn’t going to own a Fortune 500 company as everyone isn’t going to enter college but both individuals can create and set their own standard of success.
Keep in mind that the definition of success is not exclusive to financial assets and this can be recorded and found in any dictionary there is. The definition of success is a combination of financial earnings and a forward moving goal.
My definition of success is what I am living in. I have a home that we are working on paying off; I have a husband that loves me as I love him, 2 beautiful children who crack me up and cause me headaches everyday! And I also have the deep unwavering love of my family and friends. Our income tells us that we are the average middle-class Americans, but our progression tells us we are the American success story.
Proverbs 3:1-4
My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.
Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablets of your heart.
So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.
With Love,
Mother Ocia